Family Motto: Spero meliora. (Loosely translated as, "I hope for better things")
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Wednesday, 12 May 2010

Whilst I think that the Con/Lib agreement has some merit. I think that this part really should be put on hold, or preferably consigned to the dustbin.

The parties agree to implement a full programme of measures to fulfil our joint ambitions for a low carbon and eco-friendly economy, including:

The establishment of a smart grid and the roll-out of smart meters.

(Another snooping device)

The full establishment of feed-in tariff systems in electricity – as well as the maintenance of banded ROCs.

(Will be heavily subsidised)

Measures to promote a huge increase in energy from waste through anaerobic digestion.

(Fair enough, but who's going to build them and where?)

The creation of a green investment bank.

(More scope for troughing. Remember those carbon credits?)

The provision of home energy improvement paid for by the savings from lower energy bills.

(How mamy years does it take to recoup that?)

Retention of energy performance certificates while scrapping HIPs.

When I asked my EPC assessor about coefficients of heat transfer he looked at me as if I was a swivel eyed loon from the planet Zog)

Measures to encourage marine energy.

(Vastly expensive to construct and maintain)

The establishment of an emissions performance standard that will prevent coal-fired power stations being built unless they are equipped with sufficient CCS to meet the emissions performance standard.

(Expect the lights to start going our by 2015)

The establishment of a high-speed rail network.

(Why do we need that?)

The cancellation of the third runway at Heathrow.

(All the future revenue will go to Europe)

The refusal of additional runways at Gatwick and Stansted.

(Ditto)

The replacement of the Air Passenger Duty with a per flight duty.

(Both are iniquitous general taxation)

The provision of a floor price for carbon, as well as efforts to persuade the EU to move towards full auctioning of ETS permits.

(Mmm. Must try to jump on this gravy train)

Measures to make the import or possession of illegal timber a criminal offence.

(Difficult to enforce unless trees have "Legal" all through them like Brighton rock)

Measures to promote green spaces and wildlife corridors in order to halt the loss of habitats and restore biodiversity.

(Ah. One to appease the treehuggers)

Mandating a national recharging network for electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles.

(You may need to build some more of those coal fired power stations to satisfy the demand)

Continuation of the present Government’s proposals for public sector investment in CCS technology for four coal-fired power stations; and a specific commitment to reduce central government carbon emissions by 10 per cent within 12 months.

(And I thought that we were broke)

We are agreed that we would seek to increase the target for energy from renewable sources, subject to the advice of the Climate Change Committee.

(You could save money and hot air by not having the committee in the first place)

Liberal Democrats have long opposed any new nuclear construction. Conservatives, by contrast, are committed to allowing the replacement of existing nuclear power stations provided they are subject to the normal planning process for major projects (under a new national planning statement) and provided also that they receive no public subsidy. We have agreed a process that will allow Liberal Democrats to maintain their opposition to nuclear power while permitting the government to bring forward the national planning statement for ratification by Parliament so that new nuclear construction becomes possible. This process will involve:

the government completing the drafting of a national planning statement and putting it before Parliament;

Specific agreement that a Liberal Democrat spokesman will speak against the planning statement, but that Liberal Democrat MPs will abstain; and

I have received this in my E mail this morning. Glad that all my efforts have been appreciated.

Dear Filthy Engineer,

Thank you for all your patience over these past few days. I know that you must have found it frustrating not knowing exactly what was going on while negotiations continued. However, the great news is that after 13 years, our party is back in government.

So first, I want to thank again for all your hard work and dedication, not just over the past few weeks but over the past few years. I literally could not have done this without you. We can be immensely proud of how far we have come from our defeat in 2005.

We have seen the election of nearly 100 extra MPs, we have gained more seats than in any election since 1931 and we are now the party of government once again. No-one should underestimate the scale of our achievement in such a short space of time, and it would not have been possible without your support and commitment to the cause.

Second, I want to tell you what I can about the agreement we have made with our new partners in government, the Liberal Democrats. As I said after the election last week, more than anything else Britain needs strong, stable and decisive government at this point in our history. And it was in the national interest that we achieved this on a secure basis.

This is why I made a big, open and comprehensive offer to the Liberal Democrats last Friday. I signalled, from the very start of the negotiations, that we had to respect the verdict of the electorate and work together to find solutions to the profound problems facing our nation: the debt crisis, our deep social problems and our broken political system.

Today, we have achieved this much-needed agreement, overcoming political differences to forge a new government in the national interest. Of course, we must recognise that all coalitions are about compromise. This one is no different. And I want to take this opportunity to reassure about what was agreed.

The agreement commits the next government to a significantly accelerated reduction in the budget deficit, to cut £6 billion of government waste this financial year and to stop the jobs tax. The agreement also allows us to carry out key elements of the reform agenda we outlined in our manifesto - an agenda vital to turning our country round - including welfare and school reform. Moreover, we have protected our nuclear deterrent. And there will be no amnesty for illegal immigrants, nor the handover of any additional powers to the EU.

Of course, the agreement also reflects the key priorities and objectives of the Liberal Democrats. This includes fairer funding in education, a fairer tax system and political reform - including a referendum on changing the voting system to the alternative vote.

But the past few days have not just been about compromise. What was clear as talks progressed is the common ground between the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats. And that is displayed in this agreement, with our commitment to building a green economy, decentralising power and protecting civil liberties - including scrapping ID cards.

We campaigned on the belief that we're all in this together - and can only solve our problems together to build a stronger, more responsible society. I am confident that the coming together of two political parties to form one strong government marks a new era for Britain and for British politics. Now, let's get down to work.